


A Fast Food Savior

by Illyrianwitchling



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Cardan and his mortal adventures, F/M, Jude is angry, Post-Book 2: The Wicked King, Spoilers for Book 2: The Wicked King, as she should be, but she can't deny the truth, he misses his queen, jurdan-freeform, let's assume Cardan virtually knows nothing about the mortal realm, stopping a robbery on accident, this is a wendys, which is that she loves him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-23 07:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23141578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illyrianwitchling/pseuds/Illyrianwitchling
Summary: “She may hold a blade to my throat once more, pull my scabrous heart from within my chest and crush it before my eyes. Jude may hate me or love me if I’m lucky. To which I am not. It will not change how I think of her. Think of the way she kisses me, with such fire and intensity, that it could be either poison in my veins or the cure to my blackened soul."“Look, dude. I’m not really sure what you're talking about. This is a Wendy's."
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 26
Kudos: 162
Collections: Tropes & Fandoms 2020





	A Fast Food Savior

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/160721222@N05/49657884658/in/dateposted-public/)   
> 
> 
> This was written for The Melting Pot's Tropes and Fandom.  
> My prompt: was accidentally saving the day  
> Grammarly was my beta. So all my mistakes are my own. Enjoy!  
> The amazing and super talented Lumeria drew an adorable Cardan at Wendys which you can see in the end notes. Thank you such for the art! I am truly honored and humbled that you were inspired by my story!

Cardan roamed through the desolate streets of Bar Harbor, Maine in the dead of night. Back home in Elfhame at this hour everyone would be awake busying about their day. For the dead of night in the mortal realm was midday for Faerie. He wasn't sure exactly where he was going. Only knowing somewhere in this town, Jude was here. And he would find her. Bring her home to where she belonged. True, he exiled her, but he believed she understood his declaration. It was there like the brightest star in the night sky _unless she is pardoned by the crown_. He assumed she knew that meant her. As High Queen of Elfhame, she could've come back the very next day. But she didn't. It's been close to five months since he last saw her and each day more miserable and pointless than the last. Life as High King, to him, meant nothing without her. His heartbreak and longing outweighed the crown bore above his head. 

Today, when Cardan nursed a bottle of wine, he decided enough was enough. He would go to the mortal realm and find his Queen. Even if Jude didn't return his affection. He'd make it known to her that he loved her. What she did with that information, he'd find out. Whether she shut the door on him, killed him, or in a surprising twist returned his feelings. So long as Cardan saw his queen.

Cardan wasn't exactly sure what he was wearing. The mortal man that walked past him looked comfy enough in a pair of jeans, a black and red plaid shirt, and a black jacket. So, he chose to model his glamour after that. He couldn't say the look was particularly dreadful. The jeans were comfy, albeit a little snug. The coat felt like he was wrapped in a warm blanket. The shirt. He simply enjoyed the way it looked on him. Black sneakers tied it all together. They were surprisingly comfortable and after the countless walking and stumbling, comfort was what he needed. Clasping the neck of the bottle and bringing it to his lips, he took a long swig of the tarty flavored liquor. Wiping the corners of his mouth with the sleeve of his black coat as he continued his journey in the stillness of the night. Wandering past buildings of various sizes, most had the lights off completely while others held a soft faint glow from within. Occasionally vehicles passed by him honking blaring horns almost striking him down.

A part of him hoped he would find her wandering the streets at this hour. Living in Elfhame for so long, he doubted she adopted a mortal’s way of living. For instance, waking with the sun, instead of sleeping, despite being mortal herself. Perhaps looking for anyone from faerie or working random jobs from faerie folk. Growing up, he heard there were those who hired faeries to do random jobs, primarily bounty hunting. She was nowhere to be seen and even if Jude was sleuthing and sly footing about. Given the circumstances, Cardan knew she wouldn’t hesitate to attack him. He wouldn’t blame her. Not one bit. He would just be relieved to see Jude, his mortal queen, in the flesh versus every moment he shut his eyes. That beautifully terrifying scowl, the fiery spark in her honeyed eyes, and watch as the soft tendrils of her auburn tresses fell around her heart-shaped face. Gods he missed her and the ache in his heart grew every passing day. Lazily, the King of Elfhame took another long swig of wine before staring at the half-empty bottle. Running his thumb along the sleek black label with silvery etchings made to look like vines. He caught something reflecting in the green glass behind him. A tall sign in the behind still brightly lit, he could tell the square shape was red with a single word displayed, Wendy's. Cardan wasn’t sure what exactly a Wendys was. Regardless if they are open, maybe they could help. Maybe she’s there. Without a second thought, Cardan turned on his heel walking towards the establishment. 

People were inside and there were vehicles parked in the lot, however only a few. There was a board that caught his attention, like a beacon in the night. He approached the interesting board, resting a hand on his hip and cocking his head to the left, his coal eyes peering at the box examining the strange item. Noticing words and numbers on display, similar to a store in a market. There were strange words he’d never seen before like, hamburger, fries, coke, frosty, happy meal. Since when did meals have emotion? And who is this Dave mortal? Why does he have so many of these burgers? Cardan knows what a frost is, he recalled a time his father told him of a great frost throughout Faerie hundreds of years ago. It seemed like something bizarre to sell and he wasn’t quite sure how they could. Maybe mortals are more magical then he believed. Or maybe this frosty is something different given if he looked down there were flavor options, chocolate or vanilla. There were a few images displayed of... well he wasn’t exactly sure _what_ they were. To him, it looked like an entire meal stacked on top of each other. A roll of some kind, lettuce, a tomato, and what he thinks could be meat. In the same image was a strange red container, again with the word Wendy's prominently displayed across it. Rubbing his chin in thought, Cardan stared closely at the odd yellow sticks. Wondering what they were and if they tasted as good as they looked. As if on queue, his stomach began to rumble until he heard a voice booming from the illuminating box. 

“Sir, you’re standing in the drive-thru. If you would like to place an order please come inside.”

Startled, Cardan jumped back several feet, clutching his bottle of wine securely in his grasp, falling to the ground. He was convinced now that mortals have magic. How else would a voice come from this? Placing a hand into the broken gravel balancing himself, Cardan stood with an audible groan, walking slowly towards the mystical board unsure if it had any more tricks. Then the voice came through again.

“Sir?”

“Are you Wendy?”

“No. Sir, please leave the drive-thru. We don’t want you to be hit if someone drives up.”

“Have you seen my wife?”

“No. I don’t even know who you are. If your wife is missing, you should file an order with the police.”

“Oh, she’s not missing. I exiled her from my land with the will to return when she would like. However, I do not believe she understood my intentions,” a beat,” I have sent her letters awaiting her response. Yet I’ve received no response. It is possible she did and chose not to return. I requested her to be angry with me at a nearer distance,” Cardan continued speaking, the wine flowing through him letting him confess the thoughts he’s caged inside for these months. The faceless voice was as good as any, “She may hold a blade to my throat once more, pull my scabrous heart from within my chest and crush it before my eyes. Jude may hate me or love me if I’m lucky. To which I am not. It will not change how I think of her. Think of the way she kisses me, with such fire and intensity, that it could be either poison in my veins or the cure to my blackened soul."

“Look, dude. I’m not really sure what you're talking about. This is a Wendy's. Just a Wendy's. We sell fast food, not relationship advice. If she hasn’t sent divorce papers, she’s probably just pissed.”

“Divorce..” the word sounded strange and foreign on his tongue. Though he’s never heard the word before, by the voices statement he couldn’t imagine it was a good thing. Not to mention the unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach at the mere thought of Jude and this word divorce. If she was only pissed it made him feel a tad better, “You think my queen will return? Her name is Jude Duarte have you seen her?”

“uh I...oh shit” at that moment Cardan wasn’t sure what happened, he could hear muffled noises from where the voice was followed by, “Okay. Okay man, my hands are up. See? The headset? Yeah I’ll take it off.” he heard more muffled noises in a flurry, “please call the cops,” the voice rushed out and then nothing but static.

“Hello?” Cardan knocked on the board. He wanted an answer. No. needed an answer. After baring his heart to the voice he had to hear what sage advice the voice would offer him.

He would find this voice. There was a feeling Cardan couldn’t shake that this voice would lead him to Jude. He wouldn’t rest until it was found. Drinking the remaining wine, the king of Elfhame decided to walk around the building. There had to be a clue somewhere. Walking around the bricked building, he looked in through the wide windows adorned with more signs saying things like, _Check out our value menu!_. Behind a counter, he noticed several people in the same Burgundy top, a few with odd-looking crowns above their head, and they all had their hands high into the air. On the opposite side was a man pointing something at them. It reminded him of the bloodbath from his brother's coronation.

When Balekin held no remorse in the slaughter of his family. No matter how unloved he felt, they were still his family. In some twisted way, he missed them. Shaking the visions of that night, the screams, and the smell of freshly spilled blood away from his mind, he proceeded forward. Someone in there had to know the voice and he wasn't going to let a mortal ruin what might be his only chance in finding Jude, his queen. Wrapping his hand around the cold metal handle pulling the door open and stepping inside. 

Soon as the door shut behind him, everyone turned in his direction. The people behind the counter remained still as a statue. Cardan looked over the room. Above the counter was a longer board of the one he talked to. The room had various tables and chairs placed throughout in a light shade of wood. The walls were cream-colored and a few images hung on them. Some with the same items on as the board outside. Others had images of mortals eating. He was mesmerized by how realistic the paintings looked. 

"Hands up! On the ground! Now!" The pointing man commanded, his voice muffled by the mask on his face, Holding something black and metal towards Cardan. 

"You're not the voice, " fixing the man a pointed look, "I need to find my wife, my queen, Jude Duarte. I need the voice to help me."

"Does it look I care about your fucking wife?! Get on the ground now!" 

Now he could feel his blood rising, who was this man to command him not once, but twice. And disrespect Jude, "Do you know who I am? You can't speak to me nor command me in such a manner," he clipped.

"A dead fucker if you don't get on the fucking ground!" He pushed what Cardan recognized as a gun into his temple. 

"No mortal can command me," Cardan sounded almost bored. Like he was used to weapons being pointed at him. Clearing his throat, he continued in his best kingly tone batting away the gun, "I am the King of Elfhame and I am here to find my Queen. Get out of my way."

"Dude what the fuck are you on?!" The guy pushed the gun harder into Cardan's temple. 

The high king refused to give in to him. Glamouring the guy was impossible with how many eyes were on them. Cardan had already messed up saying Elfhame. He need not make it worse. He could glamour them all, but then how would he find Jude. The cold metal against his skin was started to pain as the man forced it into his skull. As if the more force he used Cardan would bend his knees. He thought of Jude. What would Jude do in this situation? Stab him. It was frightening how quickly he knew that. He knew her like she was the other half of his soul. Cardan wasn't the violent one. He was the rumbling thunder and she the lightning striking the earth. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. He was done with this mortals foolery. Then it came to him. Acting quickly for if thought too long on it, Cardan knew he would change his mind. Gripping his palms around the neck of the bottle and gritting his teeth, Cardan shut his eyes and swung with all the strength he could muster. 

The bottle slipped from his grasp crashing onto the tiles below. He could hear the others sharp gasps as he slowly opened his eyes, one after the other. Brows to his hairline, eyes wide as saucers and his mouth a gape, glancing from his hand, the shards of glass, and the unconscious body sprawled against the floor. One person behind the counter rushed to the man's side checking for a pulse. He was breathing and fine. By the looks of it, he'd be out for some time. The same employee grabbed the gun keeping it safe. The girl was talking to Cardan, but he wasn't listening. Lost in a daze over what he had done. Another held a squarish device to their ear speaking into it. Suddenly the girl grabbed his arms, shaking Cardan gently.

"Are you alright?" She finally asked. He nodded a yes, "That was intense. You saved us from a robbery. Thank you!" 

He could tell by her tone, the girl was truly grateful for his action. It made him feel slightly better about the situation. No matter if the man deserved it. He wondered what Jude would think. Jude.

"I need the voice."

"Voice?" The girl blinked at him, her light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail under the black crown. 

"The one from the box outside."

"Oh, you mean Brandon. He was doing drive-thru. Have a seat I'll get him. Would you like anything? A drink? Some food?" Cardan waved her off. He was hungry, but this food here confused him and if he was honest. He'd rather be done with this and find Jude. Food, drinks, they can wait. All he wants is to speak with this Brandon and find his queen, "If you change your mind. Let me know. I'll find Brandon. Cops should be here soon."

Shortly after the girl disappeared she returned with a wiry looking man dressed the same as her. The man stepped forward. Brandon looked about his own age except blonde and with green eyes. Cardan had a hard time believing this guy was the all-knowing voice of the box. Nonetheless, it wasn't like he had many options for his search. So Brandon would have to do.

"You are Brandon?"

"Yeah. You're the weird guy who stands in drive-thrus." Cardan fixed him a look, "Sorry man, I'm just kinda nerve wrecked. Thanks for knocking this asshole out. We appreciate it."

"Well, I needed my answers and he was in my way."

"Uh. Right."

"We had a conversation to finish. Sit."

"We did?" The guy, Brandon, looked at Cardan strangely sliding into the booth opposite of him.

"My wife. The High Queen of Elfhame, will she return? Perhaps you know where she is?" He knew he should stop mentioning Elfhame, yet he was so close he didn't care.

Brandon sighed unsure of how to proceed, "Look, man. I don't know. My mom left my dads for a few days and she came back. They worked it out. I don't know what Elfhame is. Is this some LARPing thing?"

"LARPing?" Cardan questioned.

Then the blaring of sounds of horns echoed in the night, getting louder and louder with every moment. Cardan covered his ears at the shrill noise. He never heard anything like it and he would be grateful to never hear it again. Flashes of blue and red filled the parking lot and danced across the walls of the establishment.

Almost five months to the day. Five months and life hasn’t become any easier. Every day seems to be worse. Her mind is a scattered mess, like a long-drawn-out battle. Part wants to march into Elfhame find Cardan and plunge a dagger deep within his chest as scarlet pools from his ivory skin and soaking his doublet. Watching him collapse to the ground. The other part longs for him in the worst possible way. This side wants to grab the earth to which he’s bound and rub it into the wound she thinks of giving him. Wanting to kiss the pain away she would cause. 

Her heartfelt as if it would cave in on itself thinking of Cardan lounging in his throne, his crown resting haphazardly atop his brow, and his signature smirk etched across soft lips. His enchantingly soothing voice echoed in her mind daily. It was comforting and yet haunting. And she hated feeling this way. If Jude had only kept a lock over her heart instead of foolishly handing Cardan the keys, she'd not be in this situation. She’d be in Elfhame still, yet no longer Queen. Hell, what is a queen without a crown anyway? And Cardan would..he would be..he _could_ be with anyone. Taking nameless faes to his chambers. Possibly marrying Nicasia. He could be doing these things now. The thought enraged her and made her stomach curl in on itself. There was a time where Cardan Greenbriar exhausted her. That was only a warm-up to falling in love and becoming his exiled wife. Love sucks. Exile sucks. She misses the idiot and yet she wants to throttle him till his eyes show no life.

Jude laid in her bed trying to calm her thoughts, tossing and turning in her sheets pretending to rest until Vivi went to bed. Waiting until she fell asleep so Jude could sneak out and do random jobs for faes here in the mortal realm. They never spoke of it, but there was a sneaking suspicion that Vivi knew what she was doing. Over the past month, her older sister had been staying up later and later. It was now close to 1 am and she could hear the TV through the thin walls. At first, Jude tried hanging out with Vivi on the couch. It only kept her up longer. Now she lays in the darkness lost in her mind.

Every time she closed her eyes, he was there. A dream or a nightmare. She wasn’t sure anymore. Simply angry at the entirety of it. At Cardan for his betrayal, using her feelings against her. Herself, for falling in the first place. At Madoc for making her this way. Taryn for her betrayal, Dain for bringing her into this at the very beginning. Balekin for being a vile excuse of a fey. From how he treated his servants, to forcing Jude to kiss him, To his treatment of Cardan. She’d kill him a thousand times over for having Cardan whipped and attempting to murder him. That’s her job to do. Or it was. Her small room seemed to grow smaller with every thought. Like it was closing in on her. This night she was freed from suffocating thoughts when Jude heard Vivi shout from the living room. Grabbing the cashmere sweater from the corner of her bed Jude threw it on swiping her switchblade off the nightstand and running to the living room.

Flicking her blade open, Jude sly footed down the hall, her eyes wide in alert approaching the living room. When she arrived in the room there was only, a bowl of popcorn scattered across the wood panel floors and Vivi’s shocked expression staring at the screen. Jude followed her sister’s gaze to the screen, her blade fell with a clank as her jaw dropped. There he was. His stupidly perfect face she wanted to punch and kiss. Seeing past his glamour she could see the pointed tips of his ears poking out through the inky mess of soft waves. The only thing new was a small bruise above his brow. And mortal clothes. Cardan in a hoodie and a plaid button-down was a sight to behold. Her heartbeat so thunderously she thought her chest would burst. Jude’s entire body shook and she wasn’t sure if it was from fury or anxiety. Why was he here? It seemed she’d get her answer as the reporter questioned what was going through his mind when he saved Wendy's s, then held the microphone at him. Saved Wendy's s? None of this made sense. Cardan looked as unsure as Jude felt, at least for a moment before copying what the woman did. His name appears in the bottom left screen along with _fast food savior_. 

He shrugged before speaking, “I just wanted to find my wife. This mortal tried to command me. I’ve been looking for some time for my queen. I had believed she understood the words I said," Jude could feel Vivi's eyes on her, "I had sent her letters to come home. Like a fool sick with love in his shabby heart I waited," then he looked straight into the camera. To her, as if he was right there in the room," Jude, my sweet villainous queen. Come home. You have the power to come home. Be angry with me if that is what you wish. Take my life, take my heart. Alive or dead I am yours just come home."

The reporter pulled the mic away, "Well Jude if you're out there, it seems like you have quite a decision. And Cardan thank you for being a hero and unknowingly saving these peoples lives"

Her face was as red as Wendy's sign itself. She had made a decision, she was going to murder him for such a public display. Jude was moving so fast she didn't even realize she was already slipping her black boots over her leggings.

"Okay. Wait a minute. One you didn't tell me Cardan was disgustingly in love with you. Two. What does he mean by the power to come home? And three, where are you going?" Vivi asked watching her sister walk back and forth trying to calm herself.

"One. I didn't know and it's not love. It's a faerie word trickery. It has to be. You know how they are. And two, I don't know. Again word trickery. Three I'm going to kill him. Where is that Wendy's s," It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

Vivi stood following her younger sister, "Did you get any letters?"

Jude froze heading for the door, looking away, "No."

"So something happened to these letters," Jude scoffed incredulously, " I'm serious Jude he can't lie. Sure he can twist words around like when he married and exiled you -"

Jude turned slowly facing her sister as realization struck her _unless pardoned by the crown_ , "I am the crown. That's what he meant. I could've come back and pardoned myself. At any time. Gods I'm going to punch him. What Wendy's is this?"

"With your mouth?" Vivi teased laughing. Given the deadpan look Jude shot her she didn't find it amusing, "The wendy's up the road it's about a fifteen maybe twenty-minute walk, "Jude ran to the door pulling it open, "Jude. I know you're angry. I'd be too, but maybe just talk first and stab later? I messed things up with Heather. Say what you will, but I know love when I see it. It's embarrassing how much he loves you."

Jude rolled her eyes and shut the door, secretly thankful Vivi didn't try to stop her from leaving. She was still a flurry of emotions within. Apart of her wanted to stay inside, crawl under her sheets and never be seen again. Five months in this realm was enough to know gestures like what Cardan did, tend to get noticed fairly quickly. It was the last thing she wanted. Even though it was only Vi who would tease her about it. That was enough for her. 

Jude did revel in how miserable he looked. Good. He did it to himself, he _should_ feel as miserable as she does. Jude flexed her fingers walking briskly to the fast-food location. She was going to walk up to him and throw all her fury, secret tears, and heartache into a single punch. She would scream and yell at him. For exiling her in the first place and laughing when she said she was queen. Yell at him about why it took him so long to come and find her. If he missed her so, why not send the roach or the bomb? or come sooner? Jude was a storm of questions approaching Wendy's ready to tear her husband to pieces.

The news van was still in the parking lot, the reporter and the cameraman seemed to be busy packing up. A cop car remained with two officers. She suspected they would stay throughout the night as a precaution. Her eyes shifted as panic ran through her veins. Cardan was nowhere to be seen. Fear settled in that she missed him. Jude bit down on her lip preventing her eyes from watering. True she knew now that if he wasn't here she could simply return to Faerie. She didn't want to wait. Jude wanted to see him now. Needed to see him. The suffocating feeling quickly returned until she stepped into the restaurant immediately hearing his voice and everything shifted.

"You dip it? The fry in the shake?" She bit back a laugh at the way he said fry and shake. As if they were the most foreign words and merging them was madness.

"Yeah dude like this, " the employee took a fry and dipped into his frosty. He was sitting in a booth, across from a Wendy's employee dipping French fries into a frosty. He seemed to be enjoying the combination of salty and sweet. 

Whereas her heart had been thundering anxiously the past forty minutes. It was now fluttering beneath her breast. The furious, harden expression she had fell away replaced with something softer. Cardan felt her eyes on him. Turning, his gaze locked onto hers and the world stopped. The honey eyes he's dreamed of nightly were suddenly here in the flesh. Like she held a magical power over him. He stood in her presence mystified. It was as if the tables turned and she was the fey using a glamour on him. Jude said nothing only walking to him. Jaw clenched, fist tight. After so long she could only bask in his easy smile and warmth that radiated off him in waves.

"Hello, wife." 

"I want to hit you." She was scowling. Gods he missed her scowl. 

"That's not surprising. Disappointed you didn't say kill." He quipped, "I'm a hero now. These mortals seem to think I am."

"I'm aware. I will repay you for that message. Shocking to me too that Cardan saved lives." 

He scoffed, a playful grin on his features, "My dearest Jude, how shall you? with a dagger or a blade?" she sneered at him with that fiery spark. the same that melted the icy walls around his heart, "I didn't intend to save anyone. I only wanted to find you."

She wanted to touch him. To slap and caress his face., "Do you know what I hate the most about you?"

"Tell me," he said staring down at her. Brushing back loose strands of hair behind her ear. His arm curling around her waist. With Jude saying she saw his statement and now her being here. The worries he held about her feelings regarding him, faded away.

There was something different about his eyes. They weren't just a dark mass like the night sky. There was a spark in them when he looked at her. It caused her body to react in a wanting way as her cheeks flushed and she licked her lips.

"I.." shaking her head controlling her thoughts, " I hate that I should be angry with you. Angrier than I am. I should want you dead," she paused, "But I don't. I do want to hear about these letters. I do want to know why you exiled me. I want the entire story of how you saved a Wendys from a robbery. I want to strike you, yet all I can think about is kissing you."

"So then kiss your heroic husband of a king." He responded smugly.

"Don't tell me what to do," However she did as requested, pulling him by his hoodie, bringing his lips onto hers.

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/160721222@N05/49684297337/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 


End file.
